Scars
by xaArzie
Summary: Shiho Hahnenfuss and Skirts. Ever wonder why they don't mix? Yzak finds out after making an amusingly BIG mistake. See Yzak flawed, confused and in love all at once. R & R! Supposedly a oneshot but I added an epilogue.
1. OoPs

Yzak is an interesting character to write about. Probably because you can find a lot of good stuff by playing on his flaws. I hope you like this guys! REVIEW!

* * *

Commander Yzak Jule stood before all his subordinates in a large conference room, too large, in fact, for such a small group. There were only six people in that room, all of which were his most trusted allies. The silver haired boy eyed them all one by one.

Up front sat his right hand and best friend, Dearka Elthman who leisurely had his feet up on the arm rest. He smirked at the blonde and turn to the next. There was ace pilot in the Junius 7 war, Shinn Asuka. Beside him was a secret operative, working under the name Alex Dino, a.k.a. Athrun Zala. Not far away was whom he saw the only girl in the group, Lunamaria Hawk. She sat poised behind Shinn. Beside her was a young boy he had never seen before. He suspected he was a transfer recommended by the higher ups for this mission. The unknown sat with his head cast low so Yzak couldn't make out his eyes or features but he welcomed the young brunette just the same.

It was a briefing for a top secret infiltration mission to the last known office of Logos where any 'Leftover Riff-raff,' as Yzak put it, would probably be staying.

He had split the group into two, the first one consisting of Athrun, Dearka and the newbie. The second group was himself, Shinn and Lunamaria. He announced that his group would be stationed outside, providing cover for the rest with mobile suits. To Athrun's group, he told them to be in the building and get as close as they can to the main office without getting caught.

He pointed to a map of the area showing all the rooms, every corner, column. The silver haired boy clearly showed that the safest place for them to be stationed was a small room diagonally across the hall from the main room, the Men's Lavatory.

The commander firmly ordered the three-person group there.

At the mention of the order, Athrun as well as Dearka could only stare at Yzak, dumbfounded. It was as if he had just swallowed a worm or something. Looking around, he realized that everyone else except the newbie was starring at him too but none more so than Lunamaria. She had her eyes deathly fixed on the boy as if ready to pounce.

"Are you insane?!" She finally blurted out.

"What? What's wrong with my plan? It's the safest way possible to get in and out with minimal risk!" He defended.

As if his words were gibberish, they just kept starring.

Dearka started to sweatdrop like he feared an attack here and now. The tanned boy's eyes started to shift, dashing everywhere around the room and finally resting on the young brunette nobody knew, who until know was silent and did not look Yzak in the eye.

Athrun started to shift awkwardly in his eat, every now and then glancing at the brunette.

Finally Lunamaria snatched her angry eyes from Yzak and gently placed a hand on the newbie's back.

_He_ started to look up.

…and Yzak wished he had dropped dead on that very spot.

_He_ was Shiho Hahnenfuss. _He_ was _girl_. And _Yzak_ had just ordered _her_ into the Men's Lavatory.

For that brief moment when his icy blue eyes met hers, Yzak Jule feared for his life.

He suddenly started to wave his hands frantically in front of him.

"No, NO! I didn't mean to—I just…" He stuttered.

"You thought I was a man?" Shiho finished for him.

"NO! of course not! I knew you were—It's just that—" He pulled on his collar which seemed to be preventing him from blurting out actual words of sense.

She had an eyebrow raised ridiculously high.

"I look like a man…" Shiho finished for him again.

Avoiding the thing all together, Yzak just blurted aloud.

"Hahnenfuss and I will exchange places. I will infiltrate the building and She'll be…outside."

'_And away from me' _He silently thought before hurrying out of the room.

Athrun covered his mouth. Shinn and Lunamaria just exchanged alarmed looks and Dearka…well…

Dearka looked like he was having a seizure while he was rolling around on the floor in a fit of laughter like that.

* * *

When everyone had suited up for the mission, Yzak found himself alone with Shiho in the locker room.

He didn't talk to her and avoided her eyes at all costs. She didn't seem all that eager to start a conversation either.

But out of gentleman's pride or simply an unusual surge of guilt, he finally said.

"I apologize for that—back at the briefing room." He stiff refused to look at her in embarrassment.

He heard a faint smirk then her voice.

"I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear that I get that a lot."

He sighed. That was probably a blow to her ego, being called a man over and over again. Their not the best of creatures to be compared to…he sure knew.

"It's just that you never looked up and well… you were in the uniform."

He heard her laugh a little from behind him.

"Why _do_ you wear the men's uniform instead of the women's anyway?" He went on.

For a moment they were completely silent. He didn't hear any sign of a reply.

Then suddenly he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

"Look at me, Yzak."

Still a bit nervous, he slowly turned around.

Immediately wishing he hadn't.

For two reasons:

Behind him, she had rolled up her pilot's uniform to reveal her long fair legs. Yzak found himself checking his nose incase his blood vessels there might have given way.

Second, because what he saw _on_ her leg was horrible. A large scar that looked like it was deep when it was open, wrapped around her calf until her thighs. It was an ugly scar, much like the one he had just gotten removed from his own face. The sight hit too close to home. It made his heart break.

"H-how did you get that?" He stammered when he dared to ask.

"I was lucky to get out with just this. My family didn't come out at all." She said almost in a whisper.

"I—I didn't know you were an orph—"

"That's alright. Not many people do."

He couldn't snatch his eyes away from the scar. More than ever now, he respected her choice to wear the men's uniform and he respected _her_.

Finally he did look away but only for a moment. It was only to turn back to his locker, open it and rummage around for an old photo he didn't dare throw away.

He looked at it before handing it to her.

When she got it, Shiho gasped.

It was an old photo of Yzak, Dearka and Athrun's team, after the war. It shown Yzak sporting a similar ugly wound right across the side of his face, across his eye.

"I know what it's like." He finally said.

"It's an ugly reminder of what suffering you went through but it's hard to let it go."

She nodded, still gazing at the picture.

"But I did. I had the courage to get the atrocious thing taken off."

She laughed a little and looked at him, straight into his eyes and his now flawless face.

"I have to say you look much better without it."

"I—I know a good place. When they're done, it's like it was never there. I can take you…If you want."

Shiho looked down at her greatest flaw.

"I just feel like I'm forgetting my family if I get it removed."

"No you won't." He assured her, coming nearer. "You'll be showing them that your stronger. That's nothing to be ashamed off." He came near enough to her that they but an inch apart. Yzak reached out his hand and pulled her into a light embrace.

"I'll come with you…" He promised.

She nodded before burying her face in his chest and weeping silently.

* * *

The men (for sure this time) hunched over quietly in three separate cubicles.

Someone had come in.

From the crack between the door, Athrun recognized the short bearded man to be Jonathan Luraud, one of the members of Logos that was still missing. Yzak, from his own cubicle, watched him come in, comb his ridiculously fluffy beard, hum cheesy show tunes then wash his hands. One he was gone and the heard the bathroom door close safely, all three cocked their guns.

"This _is_ the place." Yzak announced.

Wordlessly, Dearka tapped his friend on the shoulder at pointed to a small window up in the corner. Yzak and Athrun nodded. They were all ready to give each other a boos t up when they heard voices.

"We still have supplies—"

"We can attack—their the weaker links at the moment." A second voice said.

Suddenly Athrun had a n idea. "Let's not attack first. We'll listen to their plan. That way it's sure to end here and now."

The other two agreed.

The three of them sat quietly bellow the window, listening in for important details. When their subject shifted from guns and attacks to fine living and who knows what, Dearka started to get bored and question his friend instead.

"So, Yzak, what's the deal now with you and Hahnenfuss?"

"What? SSHHH! We're on a mission here, idiot!" the one in question hushed. Either he was genuinely concerned about the mission or he was just avoiding the question. Dearka did ask kinda loud.

"Come on!" The tan boy said in a softer tone. "You two were the last to leave and you took a while to get out of that locker room." He said with a mischievous grin.

"WHAT?! NO! I just apologized. That's all!" This time it was Yzak who was about to talk louder than he should.

The two were immediately hushed by Athrun.

Still, Dearka kept pressing for details. "Aw. Tell us, Yzak! We won't laugh if you messed it up!"

"I did NOT mess it up!"

"Then what happened?"

"I apologized. She forgave and she showed me—SHUT UP!"

"_Showed_ you?" Dearka looked excited. Athrun finally leaned in to listen too. "Showed you _what_?"

"She told me why she doesn't wear the women's uniform, alright?! It was nothing."

"A yes, Shiho Hahnenfuss and skirts, mortal enemies." Dearka mocked. "So my friend, what are you going to do now?" He said in his best Sherlock Holmes impression.

Yzak grunted before shooting his friend a deathly glare then looking away.

"I'm going to get her to wear a skirt….DUH" He snapped.


	2. Epilogue

Thanks to Housenka for the suggestion. I decided to add a little something to this oneshot. It's just a simple short epilogue but I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Shiho Hahnenfuss walked down the halls of the Voltaire. She walked tall and poised with her long auburn hair tied back.

She greeted no one on the way. Instead she kept her chin high and grinned. Most of the Voltaire's population just happened to male and that majority was now gawking one of the few girls that actually graced their ship.

Of course, Shiho was no stranger to this ship. She has been part of the Jule squad for more than five years of her career. Why then, were they so stunned to see her now?

There was something different in the way she carried herself. They were too used to seeing a stern looking brunette stiffly tag behind their commander and second hand. Today she didn't that same tomboy who only always faded in the background. For some strange reason, she stood out and she even seemed walk different. For the first time since well, ever. They actually fully realized of the fact the she was indeed, a woman.

And not a bad looking one at that.

Probably a lot of it was attributed to the fact that this was her first day at work…

…wearing the standard military women's uniform.

Skirts and all.

As she walked the halls, she heard whispers, spotted a few goggle eyes and maybe surprised expressions. Who knew her apparel was such a big deal? The whole time though, she heard not a single hoot or whistle. Nobody dared crack a stupid pick up line or even come up to her at the least.

Everyone seemed to just quietly clear the way for her to pass.

Curiously, not even one of the cockier boys on board didn't even wink, which is what he was known to do when he wasn't—and sometimes when he was—on duty.

Most likely, he, along with the rest of them, were too terrified of receiving a deathly glare and the not-so-occasional slap from the always pissed-off-looking commander who wasn't walking very far behind her.

'_Don't mess with the Commander's girl'_

She heard one of the crew whisper to another.


End file.
